Thank you to all of our honorees for the countless ways you have enriched our schools and community. Your contributions have helped shape the success of Pine Island Public Schools, and we are grateful for all you have done.
Congratulations to each of our recipients!
⭐ Years of Service Honorees
10 Years of Service
Mitch Schiltz – HS Principal
Shannon Kelley – Elementary Teacher
Megan Pearson – Paraprofessional
Jim Marx – Custodian
Michelle Nord – Transportation
Roger Ronningen – Transportation
Doug Strandell – Transportation
20 Years of Service
Jen Slowinski – Elementary Teacher
Mark Passow – Middle School Teacher
30 Years of Service
Traci Bauer – Elementary Teacher
Barb Hoppe – MS/HS Band Teacher
40 Years of Service
Joe Mish – MS/HS Orchestra Teacher
🎉 Retirees
Becky Collins – Elementary Teacher (36 years)
Shawn Hunskor – HS Math Teacher (31 years)
Dawn Lenz – HS Special Education Teacher (12 years in Pine Island)
Darla Burdick – Early Childhood Paraprofessional (21 years)
❤️ Friends in Education Award Recipients
Elizabeth Howard – Pine Island City Administrator
Audrey Jacobson – Elementary Volunteer
The Friend of Education Award honors community members and staff who go above and beyond to invest in our students, our staff, and our schools. Thank you for believing in Pine Island and for the countless ways you help make our schools and community stronger.
Throughout their careers, they have made a lasting impact through their leadership, compassion, hard work, and countless contributions both inside and outside the classroom. The relationships they built and the lives they touched will continue to be felt for years to come.
While they will be greatly missed, we are excited for them as they begin this next chapter filled with new adventures and well-deserved time with family and friends.
Congratulations on your retirement, and best wishes in the years ahead!
As we wrap up another school year, I wanted to take a moment to send a sincere thank you to all of you. Thank you for your continued support, for trusting us with your children every day, and for actively partnering with us to make this year a success.
A major focus for us this past year was developing our new Strategic Roadmap. While this is something required by the state, that isn't the reason we did it. We poured our time into this because it gives our district clear direction. It defines our core values and what we truly believe in. Most importantly, it creates alignment across our schools so that we are all moving in the same direction, working together to support every single child academically, behaviorally, and in their mental health.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback and share your thoughts during this process. Your input was vital. At Pine Island, our mission remains steady: we want to continue to inspire, empower, and achieve excellence. We know we can't do that in isolation, and we want to keep building strong partnerships with you and our broader community to enhance everything we do here.
I also want to make you aware of an important transition happening this summer. We are changing our student information system over to Infinite Campus. The official switch over will happen in July, so please be on the lookout for more details regarding this update as we get closer to that time.
Aside from that system update, our work on our facilities doesn't stop during the summer months. We will be focusing on a few small facility improvements across the district to ensure our environment is ready to welcome everyone back in the fall.
Thank you again for an incredible year and for being such an important part of the Panther family. I hope you and your children have a wonderful, safe, and relaxing summer break.
In Kind Regards,
Barry Schmidt
Superintendent
Pine Island Public Schools
The award states "This international recognition is earned through your exceptional display of language proficiency, underscores your dedication to fostering global understanding and communication. Your attainment of this honor stands as a testament to your unwavering commitment and perseverance, marking you as a distinguished member of a global community. Your certificate will be forever securely stored in our digital vault, symbolizing not only your achievement but also the promising doors of opportunity it will undoubtedly open for your future endeavors... affirming your status as a distinguished member of the global language community."
We're Hiring!
Position: Band Lesson Instructor (Part-Time)
Date Posted: 5/22/26
Location: Pine Island Public School District 5-12 building
Date of Availability: Starting 2026-2027 school year
Date Closing: Open Until Filled
Job Summary: Pine Island Independent School District No. 255 is seeking a part-time Band Lesson Instructor to support middle school students through small group and individual music instruction. This position offers flexibility and the opportunity to help students grow their musical skills and confidence in a supportive school environment.
Position Details
Schedule: 2 days per week
Hours: Approximately 4 hours per day
Pay: $112 per day
Days: Flexible based on candidate availability and school schedule
Instruments: Flexible, based on candidate strengths and student needs
Responsibilities
Provide band lessons for middle school students under the direction and guidance of the band director
Support student growth in musical skill development aligned with band program goals
Communicate positively with students, staff and band director
Help foster student engagement and confidence through music instruction
Qualifications
Experience working with student musicians preferred
Ability to teach one or more band instruments
Strong communication and organizational skills
Passion for working with middle school students
Why Pine Island School District?
Pine Island is more than just a great place to work—it’s a great community with many offerings, including:
A safe, welcoming small-town atmosphere with a strong sense of community.
Easy access to big-city amenities while enjoying affordable living.
Beautiful parks, trails, and the Zumbro River for outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and biking.
Fun community events, including the Pine Island Cheese Festival and local sports.
A prime location just one hour south of the Twin Cities and 12 miles north of Rochester, home of the world-famous Mayo Clinic and IBM.
If you’re looking for a school where you can make a difference, grow professionally, and be embraced by a fantastic community, Pine Island School is the place for you!
Candidates with questions about the position are encouraged to contact MS Principal Katie Schafer at katie.schafer@pineisland.k12.mn.us. Apply today and become part of a district that values you and your passion for teaching.
Application Procedure: Applications are available through Applitrack: Click www.pineisland.k12.mn.us to review all current postings for the Pine Island School District.
Graduation Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 29th at 7:00 pm in the Gold Gym.
Doors open at 6:15 pm.
For the 2026-2027 school year, ALL families must complete either a Transportation Request Form or an Opt-Out Form. This applies to both in-district and out-of-district families. Please complete a form for all new AND returning students by June 15th, even if they were previously assigned to a bus route.
In-District Families
To help us maintain accurate transportation information, all families needing bus transportation for the 2026-2027 school year must complete the Transportation Request Form.
If your family — or individual students within your family — will not need transportation services, please complete the Opt-Out Form.
Out-of-District Families
To request transportation for the 2026-2027 school year, please complete the Transportation Request Form. The form will open June 1st.
Students who are currently riding the bus will be assigned first. Additional requests will be processed based on the timestamp of the submitted request form. Students may be placed on a waiting list if capacity is reached and it is requested.
Families will be notified in early July if their student(s) have been assigned to a bus route. Final bus routes and stop times will be completed in early August.
Please reach out to the transportation department (tquintero@pineisland.k12.mn.us) with any questions.
Thank you!
Tammi Quintero
Director of Transportation
Pine Island Schools
Earning team points were:
100m dash: Peyton Loftus - 1st, Owen Harstad - 2nd, McKinley Sorum - 1st, Lauren Pahl - 3rd
200m dash: Sam Taddy - 2nd, Corrin Pike - 3rd, Lauren Pahl - 3rd, Lily Stapleton - 6th
400m dash: Aspen Gorman - 2nd, Bo Rosane - 6th, River Weissgerber - 2nd, Ella Edwards - 4th, Lily Stapleton - 5th
800m run: Kaden Chim - 2nd, Xander Weissgerber - 4th, Molly Harstad - 2nd, Adalyn Johnson - 4th
1600m run: Vaughn Anderson - 3rd, Chase Swintek - 6th, Olivia Morgan - 1st, Adalyn Johnson - 5th
3200m run: Talon Schutz - 1st, Adam Johnson - 3rd
100/110 hurdles: Lisa Hoehne - 1st, Evie Anderson - 2nd, Claire Hayden - 3rd, Skylar Johnson - 1st, Sam Taddy - 8th
Shot Put: Ivory Severson - 6th, Erin Taylor - 7th, Cody Schiltz - 5th, Jackson Hudson - 7th
Discus: Erin Taylor - 4th, Kadee Klusmann - 7th, Colton Henning - 2nd, Cody Schiltz - 9th
Long Jump: Macy Koenen - 2nd, Lauren Pahl - 4th, Lisa Hoehne - 5th, Sam Taddy - 1st, Will Taylor - 2nd
Triple Jump: Katelyn Vaneps - 3rd, Macy Koenen - 4th, Evie Lujero - 5th, Liam Brewster - 8th, Derek Weis - 9th
High Jump: Annalise Sherman - 2nd, Macy Koenen - 4th, Ben Perreault - 1st, Kyren Gansen - 4th
Pole Vault: Annalise Sherman - 1st, Abby Hewitt - 3rd, River Weissgerber - 3rd, Ben Edwards - 1st, Titan Gravenish - 3rd
4x100: Evie Anderson, Lauren Pahl, River Weissgerber, McKinley Sorum - 1st, Aspen Gorman, Cooper Rutten, Owen Harstad, Peyton Loftus - 1st
4x200: Claire Hayden, Macy Koenen, River Weissgerber, McKinley Sorum - 1st, Cooper Rutten, Owen Harstad, Aspen Gorman, Peyton Loftus - 1st
4x400: Olivia Morgan, Addie Myran, Emaleigh Weis, Adalyn Johnson - 2nd
4x800: Olivia Morgan, Molly Harstad, Alina Taggart, Alivia Levi - 1st, Corrin Pike, Vaughn Anderson, Kaden Chim, Bo Rosane - 1st
Complete results can be found at the link below:
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/667021/results/all
Whether they were rocking it in theatre, Developmental Adaptive Physical Education, managing the adapted bowling team, or serving as classroom TAs, they've made a lasting impact.
We are so incredibly thankful for each and every one of them and the inclusive community they help build every day! #UnifiedAmbassadors #InclusionMatters #BetterTogether
Dear Pine Island Families,
As we approach the end of another school year, we are sending this quick alert first and foremost to thank you. Your incredible support, partnership, and dedication to our students have made this a fantastic year for the Pine Island School District. We couldn't do it without you!
We Value Your Input
Looking ahead, our district has spent the past several months developing a new Strategic Roadmap. This plan will guide our continuous improvement and shape the daily experiences of our students, staff, and families for years to come.
Before the School Board finalizes this plan during the summer, we want to hear from you. Your feedback is essential to ensuring our mission, vision, and core values reflect the needs of our community.
How to Participate
Please take a few moments to review the roadmap and complete our short survey:
Deadline: Please share your feedback by Wednesday, May 27 at 11:59 p.m.
Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdwkYf2XX9py5jRvPQ2rg4K-T3AXhplWzodiMaEJHYtc3jfXA/viewform
Document Review: You can view the document https://drive.google.com/file/d/10ra5ak823SqdIji_1ZseuwgKcpXpN89W/view Strategic to help inform your answers.
Thank you for your time and for being a vital part of the Panther community!
Dear Pine Island Families,
As we approach the end of another school year, we are sending this quick alert first and foremost to thank you. Your incredible support, partnership, and dedication to our students have made this a fantastic year for the Pine Island School District. We couldn't do it without you!
We Value Your Input
Looking ahead, our district has spent the past several months developing a new Strategic Roadmap. This plan will guide our continuous improvement and shape the daily experiences of our students, staff, and families for years to come.
Before the School Board finalizes this plan during the summer, we want to hear from you. Your feedback is essential to ensuring our mission, vision, and core values reflect the needs of our community.
How to Participate
Please take a few moments to review the roadmap and complete our short survey:
Deadline: Please share your feedback by Wednesday, May 27 at 11:59 p.m.
Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdwkYf2XX9py5jRvPQ2rg4K-T3AXhplWzodiMaEJHYtc3jfXA/viewform
Document Review: You can view the document https://drive.google.com/file/d/10ra5ak823SqdIji_1ZseuwgKcpXpN89W/view Strategic to help inform your answers.
Thank you for your time and for being a vital part of the Panther community!
Final Reminder!
Join us for the Nature Play Trail Open House this Saturday, May 16 from 4:00–6:00 PM!
Come explore the trail, enjoy hands-on activities hosted by community businesses and organizations, and celebrate this incredible space created for kids and families to connect with nature.
Mud Kitchen Raffle Drawing at 6:00 PM
You do NOT need to be present to win the custom-built mud kitchen! We’ll also be raffling off other awesome prizes for those attending, thanks to generous donations from ROCA Climbing, Scheels, and Hardware Hank. Tickets can be purchased at the Open House!
A huge thank you to all of the volunteers, students, families, businesses, and community organizations who helped bring this project to life. Two years ago this area was overgrown with buckthorn — now it’s a beautiful place for adventure, imagination, and outdoor play.
We hope to see you there for one last celebration of this amazing project!
18 Days until the discount ends!
We want to remind everybody who may be interested in enrolling in the Spain and France trip for 2028 that the "Early Bird Discount" of $300 will end on June 1, 2026. Registration continues to be open until early 2028. We're registering students currently in 7th-12th grade, parents, and students younger than 7th grade if accompanied by a parent.
Register using this link: https://my.passports.com/login?g=KSTAI2028-6
Highlights include:
- Tours of Madrid, Toledo, Segovia, Burgos, and Valladolid
- Tapas and beach time in San Sebastian
- High speed train to Paris
- Visit to Versailles, Disneyland Paris, the Louvre, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower
- Dinner cruise on the Seine River
Please reach out if you have questions or want more information.
- Srta. Stai and Profe Wernau
Due to the forecasted thunderstorms, the Nature Play Trail Open House has been rescheduled to: Saturday, May 16 from 4:00–6:00 PM
We want everyone to be able to safely enjoy the trail, activity stations, and outdoor fun! Thank you for your flexibility and support of this student-created community space.
Come explore the trail, connect with local organizations, and celebrate all the amazing work our students in the Roots and Shoots environmental club have done to transform this space into a community treasure.
The Mud Kitchen raffle drawing will take place at 6:00 PM. You do not need to be present to win! We’ll also have other awesome prizes that will be raffled off throughout the event for those in attendance!
We hope to see you there — and hopefully with sunshine!
WEATHER UPDATE!
Due to the forecasted thunderstorms, the Nature Play Trail Open House has been rescheduled to: Saturday, May 16 from 4:00–6:00 PM
We want everyone to be able to safely enjoy the trail, activity stations, and outdoor fun! Thank you for your flexibility and support of this student-created community space.
Come explore the trail, connect with local organizations, and celebrate all the amazing work our students in the Roots and Shoots environmental club have done to transform this space into a community treasure.
The Mud Kitchen raffle drawing will take place at 6:00 PM. You do not need to be present to win! We’ll also have other awesome prizes that will be raffled off throughout the event for those in attendance!
We hope to see you there — and hopefully with sunshine!
Earning team points at Mel's Meet were:
100m dash: Peyton Loftus - 1st, Aspen Gorman - 2nd, River Weissgerber - 2nd, McKinley Sorum - 3rd, Lauren Pahl - 6th
200m dash: Peyton Loftus - 1st, Owen Harstad - 2nd, Evie Anderson - 3rd
400m dash: Cooper Rutten - 2nd, River Weissgerber - 1st, Ella Edwards - 5th
800m run: Bo Rosane - 2nd, Olivia Morgan - 3rd, Molly Harstad - 4th
1600m run: Vaughn Anderson - 1st, Olivia Morgan - 2nd, Alivia Levi - 3rd, Adalyn Johnson - 5th
3200m run: Talon Schutz - 4th
100 hurdles: Lisa Hoehne - 1st, Claire Hayden - 2nd, Evie Anderson - 3rd, Alivia Levi - 6th
300 hurdles: Skylar Johnson - 4th, Quinten Fangman - 5th
4x100: Cooper Rutten, Aspen Gorman, Will Taylor, Jackson Hudson - 1st, Evie Anderson, Macy Koenen, McKinley Sorum, Lauren Pahl - 2nd
4x200: Aspen Gorman, Peyton Loftus, Corrin Pike, Owen Harstad - 1st, Claire Hayden, Lisa Hoehne, Lauren Pahl, River Weissgerber - 3rd
4x400: Hadley Timm, Ella Edwards, Alvia Levi, Lily Stapleton - 3rd
4x800: Guillermo Pedreno, Max Njus, Talon Schutz, Vaughn Anderson - 2nd, Alina Taggart, Molly Harstad, Morgan Jacobson, Adalyn Johnson - 2nd
Shot Put: Jackson Hudson - 5th, Kadee Klusmann - 6th
Discus: Colton Henning - 5th, Erin Taylor - 3rd
High Jump: Ben Perreault - 2nd, Kyren Gansen - 3rd, Quinten Fangman - 5th, Macy Koenen - 5th
Pole Vault: Ben Edwards - 1st, Titan Gravenish - 4th, River Weissgerber - 1st, Annalise Sherman - 2nd, Abby Hewitt - 6th
Long Jump: Sam Taddy - 1st, Will Taylor - 6th, Macy Koenen - 5th
Triple Jump: Aspen Gorman - 2nd, Katelyn Vaneps - 5th
Complete results can be found at the link below:
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/650052/results/all